There's good news: Your vacation rental at the beach has a kitchen. And there's bad news: Your vacation rental at the beach has a kitchen.

Residents of Philadelphia and New Jersey who head to Shore homes or rentals every summer do so for the sunlight, ambience, fellowship, waves and recreation. In other words, to chill out.

Convivial dining is, of course, a big part of the experience. Still, eating out or ordering pizza can become expensive and monotonous. And most home cooks don't relish being in the grocery store and then the kitchen while everyone else is building castles in the sand.

Many solve this problem by cooking ahead at home, freezing, and then transporting these ready-to-eat or nearly ready-to-eat meals in a cooler. They also stop to buy fresh produce from farmers along the way, another part of the vacation tradition.

This Cooler Crew has the drill down pat. Members know what dishes have worked for them in the past, be they casseroles or grill-ready uncooked pork chops marinating in a sealed plastic bag. They accept that food shopping and its preparation must be added to the regular get-out-of-town tasks of packing suitcases, getting the cat to the kennel, cleaning out the pantry and refrigerator, picking up prescriptions and doing every piece of laundry.

They are willing, however, to add that to their to-do lists in exchange for a week of minimal culinary effort that enables long walks along the beach as the sun sets and dinner beckons.

If you are new to the Cooler Crew - or if you are looking for new ideas - it's time to squeeze the preparation of a week of more innovative dinners into the schedule before heading out.

That seems like overkill?

OK, then, how about taking at least two meals and a plan for others?

There are plenty of ways to go that don't involve large pieces of pure, cooked meat and poultry, whose texture does not fare well in the freezer.

For example, you can freeze uncooked meat, poultry or fish in a lower-acid marinade (too much acid will "cook" the meat) or with spices pounded into it. Once defrosted, food prepared in this way, like the Margarita Pork Chops recipe printed here, is broiler- or grill-ready.

If you are freezing proteins for the cooler, wrap thinner pieces or individual servings, as in the lamb burgers included here, separately to avoid having to wait for a solid block of food to thaw completely.

Accordingly, perhaps the best protein to have on hand for the first evening meal is a bag of frozen shrimp, which can be thawed quickly under running water.

Stewlike mixtures like Turkey Sloppy Joes, below, freeze well and will feed the inevitable crowds that will descend on a vacation dinner table, but will need a day or two of defrosting in the refrigerator before they are heated. Freeze them in shallow containers to speed the process and don't count on them for the first meal.

Easier than all of this, of course, is to brainstorm for items that are near-ready or simple meal makings and will keep you from running to the supermarket when you could be reading in a beach chair.

Some other ideas for items to throw into the cooler are:

• Glazed, spiral-cut ham.
• Aseptic packages of tofu to top with ginger, soy sauce or other bottled Chinese condiments.
• Composed butter combinations to put on grilled or fresh fish.
• Instant couscous.
• Ravioli, sauce, and meatballs from your favorite Italian specialty store.
• Bacon; pancake mix and eggs (very fresh ones can keep refrigerated up to a month) for breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner.
• Canned dolmas, the rice-filled grape leaves available at Middle Eastern markets; a hunk of feta, sealed container of hummus, hard sausage, olives and frozen flatbread or pita bread for a dinner of small-plate items.
• Shredded cheese, tortillas and salsa for quesadillas.

And what about dessert, you ask?

Technically, it is that flat of strawberries you buy on the way to the beach.

In actuality, dessert is the sweet sensation of sitting on the deck of a beach house, cocktail in hand, with very little or nothing to do.

Lamb Burgers With Feta

Makes 12 servings

2 pounds ground lamb

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

2 tablespoons dried savory

6 cloves garlic, minced

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

14 ounces feta cheese, crumbled into chunky pieces

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

12 plain pita pocket breads or other buns

Sliced onions, tomatoes and cucumbers

Arugula and fresh mint leaves

Purchased tzatziki

1. Using your hands, mix the lamb, yogurt, savory, garlic, zest, red pepper, salt and black pepper to taste in a large bowl. Gently mix in the crumbled feta. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions, then into balls by gently tossing them from hand to hand. Shape into 1-inch-thick loosely packed oval patties. Press the center of each patty so it is slightly thinner than the edges. Pack the patties in a plastic container with waxed paper or plastic wrap separating them. Transport in a cooler.

2. To serve, brush the burgers with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill the burgers, turning once, until firm to the touch and with a little bit of give, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside while grilling the pitas. Slit a burger-size opening in each pita, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill until lightly toasted. Serve the burgers in the pitas with the garnishes of your choice and tzatziki, if desired.

Per serving: 507 calories, 24 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams sugar, 27 grams fat, 87 milligrams cholesterol, 1,233 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Makes 12 to 16 servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cups finely diced onions

3 pounds ground turkey

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 cups dry red wine

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

12 to 16 kaiser rolls

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey and salt and mix well. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Mix in the cumin and cook an additional one minute.

2. Add the red wine and reduce by three-quarters. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, molasses and vinegar and cook for 2 more minutes to blend the flavors. Cool completely and pack in a tightly sealed plastic container to transport in a cooler.

3. To serve, reheat the mixture over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Toast or grill the rolls, split them and top with cheddar cheese. Spoon on the meat mixture and serve right away.

Per serving (based on 16): 444 calories, 26 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams sugar, 16 grams fat, 82 milligrams cholesterol, 1,079 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.

Rotelle Salad With Smoked Trout and Fresh Dill

Makes 8 to 12 servings

1/2 pound rotelle or other corkscrew-shaped dry pasta

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mayonnaise (regular or reduced-fat will do)

6 tablespoons horseradish

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill or 4 tablespoons dried

4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if larger

4 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers

1 cup thinly sliced small red onions

24 ounces skinned and boned smoked trout (hard-smoked salmon is a fine substitute) cut into ½-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice

1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the rotelle until just al dente. Drain and immediately run cold water over it to stop the cooking. Drain again, transfer to a bowl, and toss with the oil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, horseradish and dill. Stir until smooth. Add the pasta, tomatoes, capers and red onions and toss gently to combine. Carefully fold in the trout. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drops of lemon juice. Pack into a sealable plastic container and keep cold until close to serving time. Serve for brunch or dinner.

Per serving (based on 12): 339 calories, 14 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 22 grams fat, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 635 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Margarita Pork Chops

Makes 8 to 12 servings

12 pork loin chops, each about 1 inch thick

4 1/2 cups bottled margarita mix

6 tablespoons minced garlic

5 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons black pepper

1. Divide the pork chops between two or three heavy-duty freezer bags. Pour the margarita mix into each bag and then add the garlic, salt and pepper. Seal the bags; massage a bit to mix the marinade. Freeze. Transport in a cooler and, if still frozen upon reaching your destination, place back in the freezer until a day before they are needed. If the pork does not make the trip frozen, refrigerate immediately and use within a day or two.

2. To prepare, grill over a medium fire until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop reads 160 degrees. To prepare inside, arrange chops on a greased broiler pan. Broil chops under high heat 5 inches from the heat source, turning frequently, for 14 to 18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop reads 160 degrees.

Per serving (based on 12): 390 calories, 19 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams sugar, 29 grams fat, 85 milligrams cholesterol, 258 milligrams sodium, no dietary fiber.

Nine-Day Slaw

Makes about 16 servings

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 large heads green cabbage

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped into medium-size pieces

1/2 cup diced pimientos

1. Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, mustard seed, cumin and pepper to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute, and then set aside to cool completely, at least 20 minutes.

2. Core the cabbage, stack the leaves and cut them into ¼-inch strips, then roughly chop the strips into ¾-inch squares.

3. Toss the cabbage, onion, bell pepper and pimientos in a large plastic container with a snug-fitting lid. Add the dressing and stir to combine. Cover the surface with plastic wrap, pressing down on it so it touches the surface, then place a heavy plate on top of the plastic to keep the cabbage mixture submerged in the dressing. Seal the container. Transport in a cooler. This slaw may be eaten after the flavors meld for 24 hours and, if refrigerated, will remain excellent for 8 more days.

Per serving: 91 calories, 1 gram protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams sugar, trace fat, no cholesterol, 446 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.